Title: The Blind Man's Bluff Job

Author: KaraB

Disclaimer – They sure aren't mine.

Author's Note: It's been a few years since I've written fic and the first time I've written on in the Leverage fandom… so eh.

Nathan Ford's voice was the sweetest sound Eliot Spencer had heard in days. For six days he'd been here, waiting… for his opportunity for escape or for his team to find him. His captors had taken precautions, so an opportunity for escape never came, but he'd known his team would. Hardison could find anyone anywhere

"I want my hitter back," Nate said in a forceful voice. He was having to be careful not to look at Eliot too closely. The man was held up by his arms and had obviously been tortured.

"Even in this condition?" a heavily accented voice asked. "He is quite… damaged."

Eliot couldn't see anymore but he could hear Nate's sigh. "I'll give you a million."

"That's how much he cost me. I deserve…"

"You've gotten any extra you deserve out of him." Nate's voice held something that made Eliot mentally wince – pity. "Do you want the money to replace what you lost or do you want nothing?"

The man shouted something in Russian and the pull on Eliot's arms suddenly was no more and he fell to the floor hard. He felt a gentle arm, helping him to his feet and supporting his weight.

Neither man spoke until they were in a car… well… Eliot presumed it was. "Why did you pay?"

"Fastest way to get you out. The man holding you is… quite in debt." Nate replied. It wasn't like they were hurting for money at the moment.

"Waste of time," Eliot replied. "He burned out my eyes… I'm no good as your hitter anymore."

"Hitter or no, you're still part of the team… part of our family," Nate said quietly.

Both men lapsed into silence. "I've arranged for a doctor." Eliot started to interrupt but Nate was firm. "That is not negotiable." Another pause. "And you're staying at my place for a few days at least."

"Nate…" Eliot thought a moment, realizing he had no real way to argue or stop him. "Don't take me by the office." He couldn't face the rest of them… not like this.

"They've been worried about you."

"I don't want their pity… or yours."

"I can't speak for them, but there's no pity here. Concern and friendship – yes, pity – not so much. You're still on the team, Eliot. We need you… sight or no."

Eliot sighed, his body shaking once and then relaxing into the seat. That they might not need him… or that they might only need the him who could see had been there in his mind. "So you just paid the guy who did this to me."

"Hardison is tracking the money. He's not going to get away with this." The venom in Nate's voice surprised, and truth be told – pleased Eliot.

Nate glanced over at Eliot once or twice the rest of the drive, glad to see that the hitter had finally relaxed a bit, but also knowing the worst was ahead. He'd seemingly accepted the loss of his sight. But Nate knew… this was only the beginning.

"So how is he?" Sophie and Hardison asked as soon as Nate walked in the door, looking exhausted. Parker looked at him expectantly.

Without a word, he sat down, thinking about how much he wanted a drink right then but knew that he'd have to face this sooner or later.

"There's something I need to tell you all," Nate said, massaging his forehead.

"What's wrong?" Sophie asked, reading Nate's face. "What happened to Eliot?"

"He can't see… The man that had him… his eyes were burned out before I got there…" Nate buried his face in his hands. Sophie moved over and hugged him. Nate was struggling to hold back his emotion.

"As in permanently?" Hardison asked in disbelief.

"That's usually what that means," Sophie snapped, glancing up at him.

Nate took a deep breath, and stood. "Don't fight over this. Hardison, I want you tracking the money. I don't want this guy to get away."

"Why isn't Eliot here with us?" Parker asked suddenly. "He should be with us."

"He's at my place. A doctor is checking him out," Nate explained.

"He should be with us," Parker said again, as if Nate hadn't responded. "We're his family."

"I'm going to go check with Eliot and the doctor," Nate said. "I want the rest of you to stay here until Eliot decides he's ready."

"Ready for what?" Parker asked. "We're his family." She seemed to genuinely not understand, or was unwilling to do so.

For once, Nate ignored her and turned to go, hoping Sophie would handle it.

Sophie, Hardison and Parker all stood there staring at each other for a long moment. Finally Hardison said, "I'm gonna get on tracking that money."

Sophie nodded at Hardison, reaching out to touch his shoulder as he passed her. Parker stalked off without a word, leaving her alone. On a whim, she stepped out into the hallway. "Nate? This isn't your fault."

He turned to face her. "If I had been faster in figuring it out…"

Sophie just shook her head. "No, Nate. You can't take this upon yourself. We're going to get the man who did this, but you need to let the blame end there." She paused, seeing he wasn't sold yet. "If you blame yourself, Eliot's going to pick up on that and it'll only drive him away."

"I know," Nate replied. "I just…"

"Eliot's got a lot of strength and not just physically."

Nate arrived at his apartment moments later to find Eliot laying on the couch, frowning at the doctor. He could see a bandage wrapped around his eyes and flinched. The idea of being robbed of sight that was suddenly just stuck in his mind.

The doctor nodded at Nate. "Mr. Ford," he acknowledged quietly. "Mr. Spencer is going to be fine. He needed a few stitches and he'll need some recovery time, but with the exception of his eyesight, he'll make a full recovery.

Nate saw Eliot flinch at the word 'eyesight', but turned to the doctor to thank him and see him out.

"So I get to be the team freak now instead of Parker?" Eliot said as soon as the doctor had left.

"They're worried about you."

"You told them." It came out half statement and half accusation.

"Of course I did. Hardison's still tracking the guy who did this. Sophie's pretty worried about you too. She's waiting to visit until you're ready."

"At least someone's got brains," Eliot snorted.

"Parker only wanted to know why you weren't with us. Because we're family and you should be." Nate knew that he had to walk a fine line here. He couldn't overdo it and push Eliot away, but some pushing was necessary.

"Parker's crazy," was his response. "Nate, take me to my place. I can at least navigate that. I keep bumping into things here."

"Hardison's getting all the information together and we'll have a briefing tomorrow to discuss. You're coming to that. We need you there."

"I don't need you to take care of me. I'm not your kid Nate," Eliot hadn't meant to go there. A long pause filled the room. "Sorry Nate."

"No, it's fine," Nate's tone was stiff enough to indicate that the unintended barb had stung. "You're still going but it's fine." Before he could protest again, Nate added. "You owe your teammates that much."

Eliot truly hadn't meant to make such a reference, but the damage was done. He mentally berated himself. Nate was only trying to help – the best way he knew how and as much as Eliot didn't want to admit it, he needed the help right now. He had the overwhelming urge to make things right with Nate because he'd never meant to go there. Forcing himself to stand, he felt his way to the door Nate had disappeared into… the dining room he thought?

"Nate?" he asked, opening the door. The scent of alcohol was unmistakeable. "Don't start that Nate."

"Haven't started it yet. Just thinking about it," Nate said softly. He'd poured the cup and not been able to touch it yet.

Eliot wasn't great with words and emotions. "Nate, I'm sorry. I never meant…" he trailed off. "I've never been a good patient." He started feeling around for a chair.

"Right in front of you," Nate replied, amusement in his voice. He hadn't expected Eliot to come attempt to make amends.

Eliot clumsily managed to sit. Both men sat in silence for a long time, neither sure what to say.

"Whether you want to accept it or not, you all are my family now," Nate said finally. "So I'm going to care." Nate weighed in his mind how honest to be. "I want to help you, but I do understand that you need your space. In honesty, I blame myself for what happened."

Eliot's first instinct was to walk away. He didn't like this kind of talk. It was always uncomfortable and he was always quite bad at responding. "You rescued me. You brought me home. And it wasn't your fault." There, maybe that sounded good?

"You're part of my team. Anything that happens to you is my responsibility, if not my fault."

Eliot couldn't argue with that because he felt the same way about the rest of the team himself. He was their protector. He shook his head. Why did he sit down here again? He stood, mumbling something about needing rest and was surprised when Nate let it go at that. At the door he turned around. "Just so we're clear on this, if I ever decide to leave the team, I'll tell you to your face." That said, Eliot turned and went to lay down on the couch, drifting off to a restless sleep a few minutes later.

Nate found him that way and sighed, knowing this situation wasn't over and that it was going to take it's toll on everyone before it was over.